Thursday, November 10, 2011

The 5th 'Hip Hop' Element: Sound Science Emceeing = mc²

While it is accurate to say that 'rap' is 'hip-hop' it is not entirely accurate to say that 'hip-hop' is 'rap' because hip-hop is more of a cultural movement that has intercepted urban communities in recent years.

Hip-Hop or 'rapping' is also known as Emceeing, spitting bars or 'chanting rhyming lyrics'.

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This flowing word content of the rap art form can be broken down into three different components:

(a) rhyme
(b) rhythm
and (c) delivery.

Rapping is distinct from spoken word poetry in that its delivery is performed in time to a beat.

However, even though rapping is a primary ingredient in hip-hop music, excerpts of the poetic word content of rap can be delivered without a beat or any music accompaniment.

There are four elements of Hip-Hop:

(1) Tagging (graffiti art)
(2) B-boying (break dancing)
(3) Emceeing (MCing)
(4) Rapping (poetic lyrics)

Most recently there be may be a 5th element incorporated to this list of hip-hop elements:

(5) Sound Science
(improving memory with rhyming word association).

When students expressed that they find Science subjects like Chemistry and Biology difficult to memorize, Educators looked at other courses students were good at, like Shakespeare, Poetry & Creative Composition and collectively concluded that the 'story telling' incorporated in these courses was serving as a 'mental marker' which helped the brain remember the summary of the subject.

As a result, hip-hop based 'Sound Science' programs are being introduced to young students whereby the students have to create a rap with scientific words as a means in helping them remember difficult definitions by stimulating the memory center of their brain with rhyme.

This modern hip-hop based collaboration makes the approach to Science more fun and current which may help encourage students to foster a new zeal when it comes to choosing science-based courses in school.

Sound Science hip-hop inspired teaching method approaches for chemistry and biology may also inspire new ways of reaching out and connecting with the young urban art student.